Tourism opportunities increase in NEPA

While he congratulated them on their efforts, commissioners’ chair Brian Smith said he wanted to see more attention paid to

Wayne County hunting and fishing opportunities.
He noted that the fishing guide distributed with each fishing license carries advertising from other PA and New York areas, but nothing of Wayne County. “I want to advertise our area,” he said.

Wilgus admitted that this was “the kind of thing we need to look at.”

Smith went on to note that Wayne hunting should also be marketed. “We’re seeing bucks harvested that rival and exceed the expectations of people who go west to hunt.”

Budget adopted

In other business, Wayne’s $29.97 million proposed 2014 county budget was adopted last Thursday. It contains no tax increase despite a planned spending increase of $175,000 and funding reductions in several state and federal programs administered by the county.

The commissioners said the spending increase, despite an unchanged tax rate, was made possible by a combination revenues and savings.

While overall state aid has been reduced, state revenues for the housing of state prisoners at the county correctional facility have increased. The county has savings because improvements in the performance of pension fund investments no longer require supplemental contributions provided by the commissioners over the past three years.